Retail Point of Sale (POS) System Overview

Because of the critical nature of retail POS systems, choosing a POS dealer is a big decision – greater in many ways than your decisions when it comes to POS software and hardware. Price may be an issue, but you will get what you pay for, so it’s very important to do your research before going to a POS dealer. We have some info that can help you make sure if your POS dealer is capable of proving your needs, as well as dedicated in supporting your business.

POS Support

Customer support is vital for the success of installion of your POS systems. Make sure you know exactly what your POS dealer provides in terms of response times, product replacements, and phone support. This is the single important aspect of a POS purchasing decision.

Installing POS

having a quality POS installation can have lasting effects for your business. Qualified installers will not take a standardized approach to installation: they analyze your needs, test your existing infrastructure, also includes the power lines, and they make sure you get a system that is exactly what your needs. Within the first week or two of using a POS system will determine whether it flies or flops, so a well-tested installation is important. You may want to ask how often the POS dealer will be on site during and after your launch – only after the system is up and running, or will they come back to check up on it and answer the inevitable questions that arise?

Experience with POS

As with any major business purchase, potential vendors’ experience in the industry is also important. However with POS systems you can go one step further: investigate the experience of the vendor has in installing systems to other retail establishments similar with your business. gasoline stations have different needs than grocery stores, and a county kitchenette varies considerably from a fancy hotel restaurant. Good POS salespeople will definitely ask you about your business, what your business needs, then provides solution that is appropriate for you.

Facilities

Taking a trip to POS dealers’ facilities can be a great way to get a sense of their operation. You will be able to check out their repair shop and get a sense of how busy they are. You may also ask for an organizational chart or a tour of their help desk. When it comes to your support needs, distance may or may not be important to you – if you’re planning to rely on phone support and shipping components back for repair, it will not matter, but if you expect field technicians to come visit you, distance from your POS vendor can be a factor.

System Demonstrations

To make sure that the system is easy to navigate, try it out for yourself. Some vendors allow on-site demos, which gives you an advantage of being able to see how the hardware looks in your location. Others will invite you to test the system at their place, which gives you that facilities tour we’ve discussed. Either way, we strongly recommend an in-person demo if you are not familiar with POS systems.

References

Another well known way to investigate POS dealers for your business is by simply asking for references to other customers – just make sure you’re asking for references that are in business similar to yours. Of course, you will be referred to the vendor’s most satisfied customers, but you can still learn quite a bit from them. Here’s a list of questions you may want to ask them:

• How did POS systems helped your business?

• What would you want to be done differently with your POS?

• Ever needed any support or repairs? Was the POS vendor responsive?

• Do you know of any one else who uses the same system? — By this you can get additional references to call, and some may be more honest about the quality of the system.

Don’t be afraid to ask for a reference that dislikes the dealer, as well. Every business has dissatisfied customers from time to time, and you could also learn from them.

Return policies

You may get a return policy but that depends on the manufacturer, not all of them issues warranties that ables to get repairs or replacements, and even returning an POS equipment is harder. Many POS dealers charge expensive restocking fees (0 and up) for returns on complete systems; while some vendors allows you to exchange individual pieces of hardware for others, but some don’t accept returns at all. Again, never forget to review their policies before singning any contract.

How can you find the right retail Point of Sale (POS) system provider for your business?

Here’s a convenient way to receive multiple quotes for retail point of sale systems available on the web at: Retail-POS-Solutions.com

The author of this article is a retail POS system expert with over 20 years experience serving the needs of thousands of businesses just like yours.